Thebarrackswere,foronce,quiet.Mulansatontheedgeofhersleepingplatform,pullingonherboots.Thesmallestofeffortsmadehermusclesscreaminagonyandshelongedtogoletthehotwateroftheshowerswashoverherbody.Butshehadvolunteeredfornightdutyagain.Shehadnochoice.

Shewaslacingupherbootwhensheheardthefrontflapofthebarracksswishopen.Lookingup,shesawHonghuienter.Spottingher,hesmiledbroadly.Mulanforgothersoremusclesasherheartbegantobeatalittlefaster.TherewassomethingdecidedlycharmingaboutHonghui,whichmadeheruncomfortable.Shewasunsurewhyhewasherenow.Wasshesupposedtothankhimforearlier?Whenhehadcometoheraid?Shewasn’tsurewhata“man”woulddoinsuchasituation.

Luckily,shewassavedfrommakingthatdecisionasHonghuiwalkedoverandthrewhimselfdownonthesleepingplatformbesideher.“Don’tletthembotheryou,”hesaid,puttinghisarmsbehindhishead.“EspeciallythatdonkeyYao.”

Mulanallowedherselfasmallsmile.Somehow,andshewasn’tquitesurehow,sheandHonghuihadgonefrombeingenemiestobeing??.??.??.allies.Well,almost.HerthoughtsdriftedbacktoYao’sridiculouscommentsinthedininghall.Shestillcouldn’tbelievethathecouldviewwomenassuchobjects,tobevaluedonlyfortheirphysicalappearanceandnotfortheirstrengthofcharacter.Athoughtoccurredtoher.Honghuihadnevergivenhisideaofwhata“perfect”womanwas.Shewonderedwhyhehadbeensoquiet.

“Areyoumatched?”Honghuiasked,breakingintoherthoughts.“CanIask?”

ThequestionstartledMulan.“No,”shesaidreflexively.ButthensherealizedthatbeingmatchedinHonghui’smindwouldmakeherseemmore“manly.”Soshecorrectedherself.“Imean,yes.Iwas.Almost.Itdidn’tworkout.”

“Luckyyou,”Honghuisaid,hisvoicequiet.

Theysatthereforamoment,hisanswerhangingintheair.Mulanwasn’tsurewhattosay.DidHonghuimeanshewasluckyforhavingbeenmatched,orforgettingoutofthematch?

“I’mmatched,”Honghuisaid,answeringherunaskedquestion.“AndI’mhopingshe’scourageous.Andfunny,andsmart.”Hepausedandhiseyesgrewdistant.Mulanwondered,asshelookedathim,whathewaspicturing.Thenheadded,“Becauseshelookslikeaman.”

Honghui’sadmissionsurprisedMulan.Whywouldheadmitthistoher?Whatdidheexpecthertosay?Andshecouldn’thelpwonderingwhathewouldthinkofher—ifhecouldtrulyseeher.Luckily,Honghuiwastoocaughtupinhisownthoughtstonoticeherexpression.

“Imean,”hewenton,“howdoyouevenbegintoknowhowtotalktoawoman,letalonebemarriedtoone?”Forthefirsttimesincetheyhadmet,Honghuiseemedunsureofhimself.Mulan’sheart,whichhadalreadybeguntothawtowardthehandsomeconscript,grewwarmerstill.

Takingachance,Mulananswered,“Justtalktoherlikeyou’retalkingtomenow.”

“Iwishitwasthateasy,”Honghuisaid.Hepaused,andhisexpressiongrewmoreuncertain.“What??.??.??.whatifshedoesn’tlikeme?”

Onceagain,hisresponsesurprisedMulan.Sheturnedand,forthefirsttime,reallytookthetimetolookathim.Hiseyeswerefocusedonthebarrackceiling,hischestrisingandfallinginslow,evenbreaths.ButMulancouldseethathewasgenuinelyworried.Inbeinghonest,hewasallowinghimselftobevulnerable.

“Shewill,”Mulansaid,thewordssofterthanshehadintended.

Slowly,Honghuilookedover.Theireyesmetandforahushedmoment,neithersaidanything,theairgrowingheavywithunspokenemotion.

Shakingitoff,Mulanclearedherthroat.Shehadnoideawhathadjusthappened,butsheknewsheneededtolightenthingsup.“Imean,Ithinkshewill,”shesaid,thistimemakingsuretokeepanyemotionoutofhervoice.“Youneverknowwithwomen??.??.??.”sheaddedwithashrugandaconspiratoriallook.